Two of the UK’s top little fellas look set to provide an explosive finale to the New Kidz on the Block show on Saturday night.
A super-flyweight battle between unbeaten Frank Warren-managed boxer, Joe Maphosa, and Leicestershire’s Louis Norman, who is vowing to “whoop” the contender, headlines at Houghton.
At the opposite end of the schedule and weight scale, the 10-fight event at Rainton Meadows Arena will be opened by the heavyweights.
For all the speed and skill of the lighter fellas, there is nothing better than seeing two big blokes knocking lumps out of each other.
Tyneside soldier Jone Volau will go up against Mohammed Saleem.
Jone is the one exception to the ‘New Kidz’ label, at 35 he is the senior citizen in the field and the only one in double figures.
He is also the only man with a defeat on his record but don’t be put off by any of that.
The man known as TK is a popular and tough figure who never fails to entertain.
Unlike some, he is not frightened to go away, as proven by a trip to the Ukraine just days before Christmas when he received a huge ovation for his contribution to a clash with Andriy Rudenko, who stopped the ‘Brown Bomber’ in three rounds.
Saturday’s fight will be TK’s 10th and his last …. at heavyweight anyway.
The Gateshead-based Fijian plans to give cruiserweight a go.
“I’m still loving every moment of being a professional boxer,” Jone told Craig Johns in his excellent Sunday Sun column..
“We have to fight away from home a lot but I just love to fight and love the challenge.
“But, during the last fight in Ukraine, me and my coach Paul Charters decided that moving down to cruiserweight would be the sensible option.”
He follows in a long tradition of heavy turned cruiser.
Glenn McCrory, of course, made a very famous switch, becoming the North East’s first world champion in 1989??, a few years after Hartlepool’s Stewart Lithgo made history himself by becoming the Commonwealth’s first cruiserweight title holder, having been the first man not to be knocked out by Frank Bruno.
Another top Hartlepool heavy, Dave Garside, challenged for the British and Commonwealth titles at cruiser and he then managed Sunderland’s David Dolan, who had unsuccessful tilts at the English, British and Commonwealth crowns at 14st 4lbs.
All the guys mentioned above were all very good heavyweights (Garside fought for the British title) but they all felt the very top opposition were just that little bit too big.
“The guys at heavyweight are just too big for me and it makes more sense for my size to be at cruiserweight going forward,” added Volau.
“I look at that domestic cruiserweight division and I think there’s an opportunity there.
“The good British guys are going to be moving on beyond the domestic scene now and that should leave a vacuum waiting for someone to fill it. I can be that guy. A lot of people keep telling me I can do really well at that weight.”
Tickets are available on the door at Rainton Meadows on Saturday night. Doors open at 6.30pm
